Expenditure on proprietary software vendors across University

From: Dave Lane

November 26, 2014

Dear Lincoln University,

I would like to have an account of the University's total expenditure for proprietary software (end user and client access) licenses and subscription fees (e.g. for cloud services) over the past 5 years, broken down by vendor, for example: Microsoft, Google, Oracle, Apple, Adobe, etc.

From: Carpinter, Adrian
Lincoln University

November 26, 2014

Dear Dave,

Thank you for your request below under the Official Information Act 1982, received by Lincoln University on 26 November 2014.

Lincoln University will respond to your request as soon as possible. We normally provide formal responses to OIA requests, signed by the Vice-Chancellor, so please confirm an emailing or postal address as the message below directs that PDF files not be sent.

From: Taylor, Deb
Lincoln University

December 17, 2014

On behalf of Adrian Carpinter, Director, Governance, I wish to advise that the University requires additional time to respond to the request because of the substantial work involved in compiling the response. As permitted under section 15A(1)(a) of the Official Information Act, you are therefore notified of an extension to the period for response to Friday, 23 January 2015. The information will be released as soon as it is compiled.

Please note that you have the right, under section 28(3) of the Official Information Act, to make a complaint to an Ombudsman about the extension.

Thank you for your requests under the Official Information Act 1982 for information relating to the University’s expenditure on proprietary software licences and subscription fees.

You requested the following information:

· An account of the University's total expenditure for proprietary software (end user and client access) licenses and subscription fees (e.g. for cloud services) over the past 5 years, broken down by vendor, for example: Microsoft, Google, Oracle, Apple, Adobe, etc.

· An account of total expenditure for proprietary software (end user and client access) licenses and subscription fees (e.g. for cloud services) over the past 5 years, broken down by year totals.

The table below summarises this expenditure over the past 5 years, broken down by year totals. (Note that the categorisation of information in earlier years, in particular 2009, may well be subject to internal coding differences.)

You also requested a breakdown of the expenditure by vendor. The University accepts there is a legitimate public interest in the quantum of such spending, as provided above. However, the University is withholding the expenditure breakdown by vendor under sections 9(2)(i) and 9(2)(j) of the Official Information Act 1982 as release would prejudice or disadvantage the University’s commercial activities and negotiations with suppliers where there is commercial sensitivity around the cost of the service provided, and public disclosure would impact on future activities and negotiation of business opportunities. The University does not accept that any public interest in the expenditure by vendor may outweigh this prejudice or disadvantage.

Please note that you are entitled, under section 28 of the Official Information Act 1982, to have this response reviewed by the Office of the Ombudsmen.